Liverpool’s Attacking Resurgence
Liverpool’s attacking unit is now full of elite talent and match-winning brilliance, in what is an eclectic mix of footballers.
Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, and Diogo Jota all bring different attributes to the team, whether it be the former’s end product, the middle’s directness, or the latter’s intelligence.
When it comes to the two Anfield attacking heroes who are the most contrasting, however, Cody Gakpo and Darwin Nunez stand out.
Only last week, the pair helped Liverpool turn things around in their EFL Cup semi-final first leg win at home to Fulham, as the Reds’ firepower from the substitutes’ bench once again proved vital.
Gakpo’s Subtle Brilliance
Gakpo steered home a lovely, more difficult than it looked finish to put his side 2-1 up on the night, while Nunez assisted both goals, meaning he leads the way in that area with 10 for Liverpool this season.
The pair are largely popular figures at Liverpool, but that’s also not to say that they don’t have their detractors. They silenced them against the Cottagers, though, as their very different styles of play combined beautifully.
In many ways, they are the Reds’ odd couple in the final third, with Gakpo a subtle footballer who is aesthetically-pleasing, gliding around the pitch in a manner not always dissimilar to Roberto Firmino, especially in terms of his ability to drop deep.
He is bigger and faster than Liverpool’s legendary Brazilian, but he does have that ability to make the difficult things look easy.
That being said, Gakpo isn’t perfect, and can be guilty of going missing in games and not using his towering frame to the best of his abilities, and he needs to find another level to be considered a world-class attacking player.
Nunez’s Raw Talent
As for Nunez, he couldn’t be further from his teammate’s end of the footballing spectrum, constantly finding himself in the action, for right or wrong.
You always notice the Uruguayan – I once heard someone describe him as “an out-of-control horse sprinting around a town centre”, which seems accurate! – with his pace and power making him a huge handful, but his finishing continues to let him down.
While the likes of Gakpo and Jota can be ice-cold in the key moments, Nunez snatches at chances and invariably attempts to leather the ball into the net, with more finesse needed in his game.
